Volume 1 - CH 5.1

VOLUME 1: Chapter 5 – The Strongest Hero is the Most Unfortunate Hero

[Part 1]

This world was created by a married couple of gods, Refelia, the goddess of light and Atillard, the god of darkness. They created the new world from the powers of the six kinds of kings of spirits: water, earth, air, fire, light and darkness. The kings of spirits, together with the goddess of light and the god of darkness, used those powers to create the world. In other words, the kings of spirits were descendants of gods, an existence that make up this world.

These six kinds of forces that form the foundation of the world needs to be spread far and wide, but it seems that it is difficult to distribute the energy with only six kings of spirits. From the fragments of their power, they created subordinates and deployed them throughout the world. That is a spirit.

When the spirits’ power goes around the world and circulated well, the god and goddess of creation created life. The plants and animals and other living things that we know.

The god and goddess, with their children, the kings of spirits, discussed together and concluded to create a life similar to their appearance. That was us human beings.

However, the god of darkness, Atillard, ran out of power during the creation of human beings and succumbed to eternal sleep. The goddess of light, Refelia, grieved about it. From that grief, the demons were born. It is said that the eyes of the demons are red without exception because they were born from tears of mourning.

The demons who existed due to grief became the world’s most disliked beings. And they hated the humans in the world who were born due to blessing—— From that  time on, the conflict between humans and demons began.

[ The World Creation Myth Told to Children ]

* * *

“So it’s been a month since we left here last time ……”

The female thief, Milly, murmured with strong feelings while sitting on the soft sofa.

After the commotion in the hall, a special room was given to the Hero’s party by the King of Schwarze that serves as a private room and living room to rest for a short while. Currently, not all six members are there.

“I never thought that we would defeat the Demon King and then return so soon.”

“Yeah. I also did not imagine such thing when we left here. However, since everyone was upset at that time, one could not think to that extent because of the real situation.”

It was Renas the priestess sitting next to Milly who answered. She has a pale green hair and black eyes, the priestess who is said to be in a high ranking position with status of “white” among priests, and also the mood maker of the party.

“It was a tiring month in a lot of ways, right?” Remembering about that time, Renas looked at a distance while sighing.

Everyone seemed to sympathize with that impression. All who were present gazed towards the main cause of their tiredness, who was standing by the window. However that culprit Greed, the hero, only watched outside the windows while folding his arms, as if not worrying about those stares.

His face is devoid of any expression. There is only a stoic expression just like a doll. There is not a sweet smile and an expression of someone who is in love like the one he showed in the hall, as if it was just a dream or illusion.

However, this expressionless state is a default for Greed. If Renas and the rest would say, the Greed in the hall is more of a nightmare than a dream. And the nightmare shown to them is equivalent with that one month.

No, instead—

“I feel that the nightmare is still going on……” Renas’ murmurs were the same with what everyone has in their hearts.

The beginning of the nightmare happened a month ago, when Greed fell in love with a certain maid at first sight when they arrived at the Kingdom of Schwarze’s castle. Greed, who did not favor anyone from the opposite sex, and even did not show interest in other people until now. The six people were friends even before becoming a fighting party. Normally, it is a blessing when something pleasant happens to a friend.

However, this is Greed. This generation’s strongest hero and most unfortunate hero, he is . . . in love.

Probably, his first love.

There is the harbinger of natural disaster, they thought. And they can say that the premonition is correct in a sense. Surely, the demons may have not noticed that the fate of the world has been left on the hands of one woman.

They recalled what happened in the past month. Those days were full of shivering, chills and anguish.

* * *

“I’m going out for a bit.”

Departing from the castle after rescuing Princess Louise, the party arrived in a big district to the east of the Kingdom of Schwarze called Mifana, and took a room in an intermediate level inn that was neither high class nor shabby. Whether to discuss future policies or to prepare for the journey, Greed, the leader, left alone. That expressionless and unconcerned tone is a usual habit.

Although the remaining members did not have any prior arrangements, they gathered in one corner of the inn’s dining hall. Because it is not yet time to eat, there are few costumers. It is a passable place to discuss.

However, no one will clumsily open their mouth. The unconcerned facial expression and H-mood was the usual. Furthermore, everyone looked bewildered.

Actually, they are in the same state up to this point. Or rather, to be more accurate, this is their state since they arrived from the castle of Schwarze.

In front of the king and everyone, they kept up appearances but they were actually confused. No, it is not an exaggeration if they their brain is short-circuiting even now.

They could not believe what their eyes saw earlier. To tell the truth, they can’t still believe it.

Greed smiled at that woman in that way. Simply spoke to her like that. Also hugged her. This is the surprise of all the surprises.

Greed’s behavior is entirely different than the usual. Perhaps or perhaps not—it might be love.

Their minds were full of those thoughts.

Love!! That Greed!? Expressionless, unimpressed. That man who looks like a doll . . . is in love?

…… Their minds refused to think any further.

Besides, they have never heard it from Greed himself. Perhaps, there is some reason. That is what they have concluded, but after travelling out of the castle, they could only glance and peep at Greed even though they want to ask him about the way things are.

“Greed being in love is impossible!”

“But what if that impossible thing is truly happening?”

Everybody thinks about the same thing. And since the cause of the strange tension between the party members have disappeared, they were blessed to finally have the chance to talk regarding the matter in question.

“I wonder if he really fell in love with that woman as it is……” Rufus the magician said with a gloomy expression.

“I cannot believe it but it does not seem to be like it! What was that smile? I thought the end of the world has come.”

When Milly, the female thief, said that, the female warrior, Farah, with brilliant golden hair and a calm shade of gray blue eyes, nodded.

“Yeah. I do not think that it was a drama or a performance. It is unbelievable but… he may have seriously fallen in love.”

“I… Because I don’t want to get involved with troublesome things, I want it to be only a fruit of my imagination.”

It was the elf Rufaga who said with a heavy sigh.

“Unfortunately—” Renas, the priestess, said while looking at the sky. “It seems that Greed  certainly likes her. That’s what the spirits are saying.”

Although her ability for visible and clear communication is not the same as Greed’s, what they say are comprehensible so she is able to work on it when she feels like it. There are particular spirits that are sensitive to the changes Greed’s heart and understands his thoughts; the spirits can be asked.

“Even now, he seems to have gone to order a bracelet for her. There’s a skilled craftsman in this street.”

“Bracelet……”

Shock ran through them.

“He is already aggressively giving a gift?!” exclaimed Rufus.

“I don’t think so, but isn’t it too soon? Haven’t they just met?” Farah said.

“Besides, he only talked a bit with the woman, right?” said Milly while Renas, on the other hand, looked at a distance, expressed a dry laugh, and said, “Thank you. It looks like a pair of bracelet, right?”

“A pair of bracelets!?!”

Everyone exclaimed in harmony. And immediately simultaneously drew back after that.

To the woman who he just met, a pair of bracelets——that is a man making arrangements for an engagement bracelet.

…… Scary. Very scary.

He is throwing away a lot of things! Especially the feelings of his partner!

“So it is already decided ……” Rufaga declares with a tired expression. It seems like he is frightened about something.

Rufaga is an elf. His appearance looks like a beautiful boy with silver hair and eyes with the same color, but he has lived a long life and is older than anyone else here. He is always calm under the role of the watch dog as well as the guide of the Hero’s party.——That’s how it was supposed to be.

Rufaga who does not change his detached attitude has the same expression. The others were shivering.

But it was not due to the fact that Greed fell in love, but because of the part of the nature of Greed that became clear.

Greed was not in a state to be moved by anything. A man who does not attach to anything, who does not have special feelings.

But as soon as he has somebody he harbors special feelings for, his resolution ran out of control.

“Hey, what if she is already married or already has a lover…… what will happen?”

Everyone turns pale at an instant Renas said those words while having a stiff expression.

Whether Greed did not know if there is a husband or a lover, it is certain that this person will disappear and slip into the darkness.

Preparing a bracelet for her meant that he intends to obtain her at all cost. She is pitiful, there is no one here who can stop Greed.

That is because Greed is this generation’s strongest hero.

He is the strongest hero, but at the same time, the most unfortunate hero.

A human who has a high magical power and who received power from the goddess to become a hero. Moreover, he is the only one who received “Spirit Protection” from all kinds of spirits in the human history.

———He can destroy the world if he felt like it.